Prevalence of the use of medicinal plants and its relationship with the degree of adherence to cardiovascular medical treatment in outpatients who attended the National Hospital of Itauguá from March to July 2017.ATRAMCAV- NATURAL STUDIO

Abstract

Introduction: The use of medicinal plants is part of traditional health-care practices and may coexist with pharmacological treatment. In patients with cardiovascular disease, documenting this practice is relevant to medication reconciliation, identification of potential risks, and clinical communication. Objective: To describe the prevalence of medicinal plant use and adherence to cardiovascular pharmacological treatment in outpatients. Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study based on 300 outpatients receiving cardiovascular treatment at the National Hospital of Itauguá between March and July 2017. Patients aged 18 to 79 years, of both sexes, with complete diagnostic and follow-up data were included. Medicinal plant use was recorded through a six-question questionnaire. Pharmacological adherence was assessed using four questions from the Morisky-Green test only among the 262 participants who reported medicinal plant use. Frequencies, percentages, and measures of central tendency and dispersion were calculated. Results: The prevalence of medicinal plant use was 262/300 (87.3%). Among users, 94/262 (35.9%) considered medicinal plants beneficial for their disease, 46/262 (17.6%) considered them safer than conventional drugs, 175/262 (66.8%) reported concomitant use with prescribed treatment, and 89/262 (34.0%) indicated low cost as a reason for use. According to the categories used for the Morisky-Green test, 17/262 (6.5%) had excellent adherence, 29/262 (11.1%) good, 71/262 (27.1%) acceptable, 90/262 (34.4%) poor, and 55/262 (21.0%) the worst adherence. Conclusion: Medicinal plant use was frequent in this population. Among evaluated users, 55.3% were classified as having poor or worst adherence. Because adherence was not assessed among non-users, these findings are descriptive and do not establish an association between medicinal plant use and adherence.